Excellence awards

Wednesday

May 7, 2014 at 5:27 PM

The 2014 Excellence Awards for High School Theater occurred Sunday evening at Charlotte High School. During the event, Lakewood High School and Pewamo-Westphalia High School drama groups were honored for their productions this school year.

Mattie Cookmattie.co

The 2014 Excellence Awards for High School Theater occurred Sunday evening at Charlotte High School. During the event, Lakewood High School and Pewamo-Westphalia High School drama groups were honored for their productions this school year.

The event was kicked off with a performance from Lakewood High School drama’s spring production “CATS.” Performances were given throughout the evening by each school featured, and included selections from “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” by Maple Valley High School drama students, “Once Upon a Time in New Jersey” by Delton Kellogg High School drama, “The Wizard of Oz” by Thornapple Kellogg High School drama students, “Seussical” by Hastings High School drama, “Little Shop of Horrors” by Pewamo-Westphalia High School students and “Footloose” by Lakewood High School drama students.

Hastings High School won the award for best ensemble and chorus for “Seussical,” Pewamo-Westphalia High School the award for best stage crew and execution for “Little Shop of Horrors,” Lakewood High School’s “CATS” won the award for best costume and makeup design and also the award for best overall production.

Aubrey Hengesbach, Cammie Noeker and Sydni Bearss of Pewamo-Westphalia won best supporting actress during the event, and best tech and lighting was awarded to Christopher Groves, a senior at Pewamo-Westphalia High School.

“P-W received eight out of 10 nominations of the categories, and four out of eight awards. There were seven schools represented with only four nominations per each category,” said “Little Shop of Horrors” Director Jill Rademacher.

Colton Hengesbach received honorable mention for leading actor for his role in “Little Shop of Horrors.”

“I was really shocked to even be nominated. There’s a lot of close competition ... I want to thank God for all of the amazing talent in this room,” said Hengesbach.

Matt Thelen of Lakewood High School won best leading actor.

“Thank you to everyone for helping us be so good, and for supporting us,” Thelen said.

George McNeil of Lakewood High School received an honorable mention for best supporting actor in the school’s fall production “Footloose,” and Alex Evert of Lakewood High School won best supporting actor for his work in the school’s spring production of “CATS.”

“Thanks to all of you for letting this be the best experience of my life,” Evert said.